System and method of asynchronous and automated order fulfillment

ABSTRACT

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for fully automated order fulfillment. A method includes identifying a shelf tote having an item contained therein for transfer to an order tote; dispatching a first carrier to pick up the shelf tote and a second carrier to pick an order tote; causing the picker to pick the item from the shelf tote while the shelf tote is moving through the transfer station; and transferring the item to the order tote by the picker.

PRIORITY INFORMATION

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 16/266,740, filed Feb. 4, 2019, the contents of which isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

The present technology pertains to robotics and more specifically to asystem and method of providing asynchronous order fulfillment throughrobotic retrieval and delivery of items.

With the ever expanding utilization of online commerce, merchants andsellers have set up warehouses where various products and items areshelved to be packed into orders as orders are received from somecustomers to be shipped out to the other customers. As the number ofitems and orders increase, automation becomes critical for businesses tobe able to meet the customer demands and provide timely and satisfactorycustomer service.

What is needed is an improved system to efficiently automate and fulfillorders.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to describe the manner in which the above-recited and otheradvantages and features of the disclosure can be obtained, a moreparticular description of the principles briefly described above will berendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which areillustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawingsdepict only exemplary embodiments of the disclosure and are nottherefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the principlesherein are described and explained with additional specificity anddetail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an example warehouse setting, according to one aspectof the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 illustrates an example transfer station of the warehouse settingof FIG. 1 , according to one aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 illustrates an example transfer station of the warehouse settingof FIG. 1 , according to one aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 illustrates an example transfer station of the warehouse settingof FIG. 1 , according to one aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 illustrates an example transfer station of the warehouse settingof FIG. 1 , according to one aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 illustrates an example method of order management within thewarehouse setting of claim 1, according to one aspect of the presentdisclosure; and

FIG. 7 illustrates example components of a controller managingoperations of the warehouse setting of FIG. 1 , according to one aspectof the present disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

Various example embodiments of the disclosure are discussed in detailbelow. While specific implementations are discussed, it should beunderstood that this is done for illustration purposes only. A personskilled in the relevant art will recognize that other components andconfigurations may be used without parting from the spirit and scope ofthe disclosure. Thus, the following description and drawings areillustrative and are not to be construed as limiting. Numerous specificdetails are described to provide a thorough understanding of thedisclosure. However, in certain instances, well-known or conventionaldetails are not described in order to avoid obscuring the description.References to one or an embodiment in the present disclosure can bereferences to the same embodiment or any embodiment; and, suchreferences mean at least one of the example embodiments.

Reference to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particularfeature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with theembodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the disclosure. Theappearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in thespecification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment,nor are separate or alternative example embodiments mutually exclusiveof other example embodiments. Moreover, various features are describedwhich may be exhibited by some example embodiments and not by others.

The terms used in this specification generally have their ordinarymeanings in the art, within the context of the disclosure, and in thespecific context where each term is used. Alternative language andsynonyms may be used for any one or more of the terms discussed herein,and no special significance should be placed upon whether or not a termis elaborated or discussed herein. In some cases, synonyms for certainterms are provided. A recital of one or more synonyms does not excludethe use of other synonyms. The use of examples anywhere in thisspecification including examples of any terms discussed herein isillustrative only, and is not intended to further limit the scope andmeaning of the disclosure or of any example term. Likewise, thedisclosure is not limited to various example embodiments given in thisspecification.

Without intent to limit the scope of the disclosure, examples ofinstruments, apparatus, methods and their related results according tothe example embodiments of the present disclosure are given below. Notethat titles or subtitles may be used in the examples for convenience ofa reader, which in no way should limit the scope of the disclosure.Unless otherwise defined, technical and scientific terms used hereinhave the meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in theart to which this disclosure pertains. In the case of conflict, thepresent document, including definitions will control.

Additional features and advantages of the disclosure will be set forthin the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from thedescription, or can be learned by practice of the herein disclosedprinciples. The features and advantages of the disclosure can berealized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinationsparticularly pointed out in the appended claims. These and otherfeatures of the disclosure will become more fully apparent from thefollowing description and appended claims, or can be learned by thepractice of the principles set forth herein.

For clarity of explanation, in some instances the present technology maybe presented as including individual functional blocks includingfunctional blocks comprising devices, device components, steps orroutines in a method embodied in software, or combinations of hardwareand software.

Overview

The present disclosure addresses the deficiencies in robotic retrievaland delivery systems which can be applicable to environments such aswarehouses, hospitals, shopping centers and so forth. Specifically, thedisclosed technology provides a fully automated system of componentsthat operate asynchronously to fulfill orders through robotic retrievaland delivery of items.

In one aspect, a method includes identifying a shelf tote having an itemcontained therein for transfer to an order tote; dispatching a firstrobotic carrier to pick up the shelf tote and a second robotic carrierto pick an order tote, the first robotic carrier and the second roboticcarrier travelling to a transfer station after picking up the shelf toteand the order tote; causing the picker to pick the item from the shelftote while the shelf tote is moving through the transfer station; andtransferring, in the transfer station, the item to the order tote by thepicker.

In one aspect, a system for transferring items includes a first mobilerobot configured to carry a shelf tote; a second mobile robot configuredto carry an order tote; a transfer station having a picker with only twodegrees of freedom, the only two degrees of freedom comprising avertical direction and a horizontal direction, wherein the picker isused to pick an item from the shelf tote and deliver the item to theorder tote at the transfer station; and a control system. The controlsystem includes a computer-readable storage device storing instructionswhich, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or moreprocessors to dispatch the first mobile robot to pick up the shelf totehaving the item therein; upon arrival of the first mobile robot,facilitate picking of the item by the at least one picker while theshelf tote is moving through the transfer station; and transfer, in thetransfer station, the item to the order tote by the picker.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosure now turns to FIG. 1 , which illustrates an examplesetting/environment in which fully automated robotic system of thepresent disclosure may be implemented. While FIG. 1 provides a warehousesetting as an example, the present disclosure and the systems describedtherein are not limited to warehouses but may be applicable to othersettings such as hospitals, shopping centers, an education campus, alaboratory, an organization, a community/complex, etc.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example warehouse setting, according to one aspectof the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 1 , warehouse setting 100 orsimply warehouse 100 can include a transfer station 102 where itemspicked from shelves are transferred to fulfill orders placed by users,customers, etc. Various examples of transfer station 102 will bedescribed below with reference to FIGS. 2-5 . While FIG. 1 illustrates asingle transfer station 102 within warehouse 100, the present disclosureis not limited thereto and warehouse 100 can include any number oftransfer stations similar to transfer station 102.

Warehouse 100 further includes an order tote rack 104, which may bepicked up by an autonomous vehicle to be filled with items of an orderin transfer station 102, as will be described below. Order tote rack 104may have several empty totes 105 (trays 105 and/or order totes 105)placed therein (e.g., arranged in a shelve-like manner) to be picked upby an autonomous vehicle. While FIG. 1 illustrates an example number of5 order totes 105, the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

Warehouse 100 further includes an items shelf 106, which may haveseveral racks 106-1, 106-2, 106-3, 106-4, 106-5, 106-6 and 106-7. WhileFIG. 1 illustrates one item shelf 106 and 7 example racks therefore, thepresent disclosure is not limited thereto and warehouse 100 may includeany number of item shelves such as items shelf 106, each of which mayhave more or less number of racks and/or items stored thereon.

On each rack of items shelf 106, there may be one or more shelf totes112, each of which may have stored therein, one or more of a particulartype of item or items that may be ordered by a customer, a user, etc.Shelf totes 112 may be organized according to the type of items theyinclude such as in alphabetical order, etc.

Warehouse 100 further includes a control system 108, which may becommunicatively (wired or wirelessly, as applicable) coupled to othercomponents within warehouse 100 including but not limited to, transferstation 102 and components thereof, order totes 105 in tote rack 105,shelf totes 112, and robotic conveyors 110-1, 110-2, 110-3 and 110-4(autonomous vehicles or robots 110-1, 110-2, 110-3 and 110-4). While notshown in FIG. 1 , each such component of warehouse 100, as named abovemay include any known or to be developed communication component forbeing communicatively coupled to other components of warehouse 100and/or control system 108. Example of such communication componentsinclude, but are not limited to, any short-range communication interfacesuch as Bluetooth, WiFi, etc. Example components of control system 108will be further described below with reference to FIG. 7 .

In FIG. 1 , control system 108 is shown to be in physical proximity ofwarehouse 100 (e.g., inside warehouse 100). However, the presentdisclosure is not limited thereto and control system may be remotelylocated relative to warehouse 100 and its components. For examplecontrol system 108 may be implemented and operate on a public, privateand/or hybrid cloud and be accessible to components or operators ofwarehouse 100 via any known or to be developed wireless communicationscheme.

Warehouse 100 further includes robotic conveyors (RC) 110-1, 110-2,110-3 and 110-4, which may also be referred to as autonomous vehicles orrobots such RC20 developed by Vecna Technologies. Hereinafter, RC20 isused as a non-limiting example of autonomous/robotic conveyors that maybe utilized within warehouse 100. However, the present disclosure is notlimited to RC20s.

Warehouse 100 may further include any necessary communicationinfrastructure including, but not limited to, access points 114 that maybe installed throughout warehouse 100 to enable wireless (e.g., WiFi)communication between components of warehouse 100.

While it will be described in further detail below, FIG. 1 illustratesan example, where upon an order fulfillment request received at controlsystem 108, control system 108 may direct one of RC20s such as RC20110-1 to proceed to tote rack 104 to retrieve an order tote 105 to befilled with items associated with the order. Once picked up, order tote105 and RC20 110-1 are directed to proceed to transfer station 102 forthe items to be placed into order tote 105.

Prior to, simultaneous with or subsequent to the above process, controlsystem 108 may also direct another RC20 such as RC20 110-3 to proceed toitems shelf 106 and pick up an appropriate shelf tote 112 or shelf totes112 that include the items associated with the order. In one example andwhen the order includes two or more items, control system 108 may directa corresponding number of distinct RC20s to proceed to items shelf 106so that each can pick up a different one of the items. In anotherexample, all different items may be picked by the same RC20 such as RC20110-3. Once picked up, shelf tote 112 and RC20 110-3 are directed toproceed to transfer station 102 for the item(s) to be transferred fromshelf tote(s) 112 to order tote 105.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example transfer station of the warehouse settingof FIG. 1 , according to one aspect of the present disclosure. FIG. 1will be described with reference to FIG. 1 and therefore, for sake ofbrevity, components having same reference numerals as components in FIG.1 will not be further described.

FIG. 2 illustrates a cross sectional view of inside transfer station 102along the X-X′ line. As shown, transfer station 102 can have a picker200. In one example, picker 200 can have two degrees of freedom inmovement. In other words, picker 200 can move vertically (up and down)or horizontally (left to right). Picker 200 also has a suction head 202(which may also be referred to as gripper 202), which can be used tograb item(s) from shelf totes such as shelf tote 112 and place theminside order tote 105. The two degrees of freedom allows picker 200 tobe directed to move down to reach a tote while at the same time, picker200 can move sideways (left and right) to switch between shelf tote 112and order tote 105.

FIG. 2 also illustrates two entrance paths 204 and 206 along which RC20110-3 and RC20 110-1 can enter transfer station 102 and exit transferstation 102 from an opposite side (not shown). While FIG. 2 illustratesa single RC20 110-3 carrying a single shelf tote 112 and a single RC20110-1 carrying a single order tote 105, the present disclosure is notlimited thereto. There may be a number of RC20s lining up along paths204 and 206, each carrying a shelf tote or an order tote, to be enteredinto transfer station 102 so that picker 200 can remove items with acorresponding shelf tote and place the same in an order tote carried byanother RC20. In one example, there may not be a one to onecorrespondence between number of shelf tote carrying RC20s and ordertote carrying RC20s entering and exiting reachable area of suction head202. For example, an order tote may require several items, each of whichmay be carried in a different shelf tote. Therefore, while a single RC20with such order tote may enter and remain in reachable area of suctionhead 202, multiple RC20s each carrying a different shelf tote thatincludes one of the several items required for the order, may enter thereachable area of suction 202, having the corresponding item removed andsubsequently exit the reachable area of suction 202 and transfer station102.

In one example, RC20 110-3 carrying shelf tote 112 may be travelling ata particular speed as RC20 110-3 as it enters and travels throughtransfer station 102. Control system 108, as will be described below,determines this particular speed and thus adjusts the speed at whichpicker 200 moves (vertically and/or horizontally) such that arrival ofRC20 110-3 within reachable area of suction head 202 of picker 200coincides with presence of suction head 202 in the same area such thatsuction head 202 can pick one or more items from shelf tote 112 followedby moving the same picked one or more items into an available order totesuch as order tote 105. In other words, the adjustment of speeds may besuch that RC20 110-3 may arrive within the reachable area of suctionhead 202, come to a complete stop, wait for suction head 202 to completethe process of picking the one or more items and then start moving againto exit transfer station 102.

In another example, when items are spread out within shelf tote 112, itmay not be possible for picker 200 to pick the items of interest due toa limitation of movement of picker 200 to a vertical move or ahorizontal move. Therefore, it may be possible to add a third degree offreedom (movement motion perpendicular to the vertical motion of picker200) in order to allow suction head 202 to reach any item in shelf tote112 regardless of the items position in shelf tote 112. In one exampleembodiment, this third degree of freedom may be provided by allowingsmall movements of RC20 110-3 within the reachable area of suction 202as opposed to having RC20 110-3 come to a complete stop, as discussedabove. In providing this third degree of freedom and movement, controlsystem 108 may (1) control RC20 110-3 to move under picker 200 (withinreachable area of suction head 202) at a sufficiently slow speed suchthat picker 200 can identify item(s) to be picked and (2) simultaneouslycontrol downward movement of picker 200 in harmony with slow speed ofRC20 110-3 to pick the item(s).

FIG. 3 illustrates an example transfer station of the warehouse settingof FIG. 1 , according to one aspect of the present disclosure. FIG. 3will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 and therefore, forsake of brevity, components having same reference numerals as componentsin FIGS. 1 and 2 will not be further described.

There may be situations where a merchant operating warehouse 100 mayreceive multiple orders for the same item. Therefore, it may beinefficient to simply pick a single one of the same item out of shelftote 112 and transfer the same to order tote 105 and repeat the same fora number of order totes 105 corresponding to the number of multipleorders. Therefore, it may be advantageous to have a holding tray attransfer station 102 where upon arrival of shelf tote 112, picker 200can pick several of the same item out of shelf tote 112 and place themin a holding tray. This may then be followed by picker 200 transferringone or more of the same item in the holding tray to any order tote 105upon arrival within reachable area of suction head 202 inside transferstation 102.

FIG. 3 illustrates, in addition to components described above withreference to FIGS. 1 and 2 , a holding tray 304 that may be positionedon a ledge 306. Ledge 306 may be movable or stationary. Regardless ofwhether ledge 306 is movable or stationary, ledge 306 may be positionedsuch that holding tray 304 falls within reachable area of suction head202 for items to picked by suction head 202 and placed in holding tray304.

While FIG. 3 illustrates a single holding tray 304 and associated ledge306, the present disclosure is not limited thereto and there may bemultiple holding trays on ledge 306 or each on a different ledge. Eachholding tray may have multiple ones of a given item therein forsubsequent fulfillment of corresponding orders.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example transfer station of the warehouse settingof FIG. 1 , according to one aspect of the present disclosure. FIG. 4will be described with reference to FIGS. 1-3 and therefore, for sake ofbrevity, components having same reference numerals as components inFIGS. 1-3 will not be further described.

There may be situations where efficiency of order fulfillment may beincreased by having multiple entrance/exit paths or tracks for shelftotes and order totes to enter transfer station 102. Accordingly, orderfulfillment may be scaled up.

FIG. 4 illustrates, in addition to components described above withreference to FIGS. 1-3 including paths (tracks) 204 and 206, twoadditional example paths 404 and 406. The number of additional paths isnot limited to those shown in FIG. 4 , but may be more or less, subjectto physical and structural limitations of transfer station 102.

In particular example of FIG. 4 , paths 204, 404 and 406 are used bythree RC20s 110-2, 110-3 and 110-4, respectively and as shown, totransport three shelf totes 112 inside transfer station 102, where eachshelf tote 112 may have a particular item or type of item storedtherein. Path 206 in FIG. 4 is used by RC20 110-1 to carry a singleorder tote 105. Specific example of FIG. 4 may be one in which ordertote 105 is to be filled with three different items and that controlsystem 108 may control RC20 110-1, 110-2, 110-3 and 110-4 such that at atime of arrival of order tote 105 within reachable area of suction head202, RC20s 110-2, 110-3 and 110-4 each carrying a separate shelf tote112 that includes of the three items, arrive within the reachable areaof suction head 202 so that suction head 202 can pick the three itemsfrom the three separate shelf totes 112 and place them inside order tote105.

However, examples of a transfer station with multiple paths is notlimited to that shown in FIG. 4 as paths may be used for any combinationof different order totes 105 and shelf totes 112. For instance, in theexample of FIG. 4 , two of paths 204, 206, 404 and 406 may be used bytwo separate RC20s to bring two order totes 105 inside transfer station102 while another two of paths 204, 206, 404 and 406 may be used forbringing two shelf totes 112.

In another example, three separate orders of the same item may bereceived. Therefore, control system 108 may control RC20s such thatthree RC20s such as RC20s 110-1, 110-2 and 110-3, may enter transferstation 102 using three of paths 204, 206, 404 and 406, each bringing aseparate order tote 105 inside transfer station 102 and within reachablearea of suction head 202 while another RC20 such as RC20 110-4 may use aremaining one of paths 204, 206, 404 and 406 to bring a shelf tote 112that includes three counts of that same item. Thereafter, control system108 can control picker 200 and suction head 202 to pick one count of theitem from shelf tote 112 and place them inside a separate one of ordertotes 105.

In one example, transfer station 102 may include multiple pickers 200,which can be arranged horizontally adjacent to each other, in rows ofpickers, etc., such that as multiple shelf totes 112 and/or multipleorder totes 105 travel through transfer station 102, each arriving totecan be serviced by a different one of multiple pickers 200. Sucharrangement of multiple pickers 200 may be such that movement of anyindividual one of pickers 200 does not interfere with the movement ofany other one of pickers 200.

In another example, a single shelf tote 112 may have multiple itemstherein for multiple separate order totes 105 (can be multiple ones ofthe same item or multiple separate items). Accordingly, the single shelftote 112 may travel through multiple ones of pickers 200 such that eachpicker 200 can pick one of the multiple items inside the shelf tote 112and place them in the multiple separate order totes 105. Accordingly,the system efficiency may be increased.

Example structure of transfer station 102 as described with reference toFIG. 4 requires a relatively large horizontal movement of picker 200along the X-X′ line in order for suction head 202 to be able to reachwithin each shelf/order tote for picking/placing items therein.Furthermore, transfer station 102 may include more than the example fourpaths/tracks shown in FIG. 4 , which translates into picker 200requiring even greater horizontal movement along the X-X′ line. As willbe described below with reference to FIG. 5 , in one example, use ofchutes for order totes 105 eliminates this need of large horizontalmovement.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example transfer station of the warehouse settingof FIG. 1 , according to one aspect of the present disclosure. FIG. 5will be described with reference to FIGS. 1-4 and therefore, for sake ofbrevity, components having same reference numerals as components inFIGS. 1-4 will not be further described.

The example setup of FIG. 5 differs from that of FIG. 4 in that, in FIG.5 , three example RC20s 110-2, 110-3 and 110-4 each carry a separateorder tote 105 inside transfer station 102 while RC20 110-1 carries asingle shelf tote inside transfer station 102 for items to be pickedtherefrom and placed into each of three order totes 105.

As shown in FIG. 5 , transfer station 102 includes three chutes 500, 502and 504. Chutes 500, 502 and 504 may be any known or to be developedchute made of any known or to be developed material such as plastic,metal, etc. Each of chutes 500, 502 and 504 may be of an appropriatelength to allow a close enough reach to each order tote 105 at the lowerend thereof such that items exiting a chute do not break upon impactinside an order tote.

In one example, chutes 500, 502 and 504 may be fixed in placement andlength. In another example, chutes 500, 502 and 504 may be adjustable innumbers (chutes may be removed or added, as appropriate), placement andlength to accommodate various types of RC20s, tote shapes and lengths,etc.

Upper opening of each of chutes 500, 502 and 504 may be within reachablearea of suction head 202 in order for suction head 202 to be able todrop an items or items carried thereby, into one of chutes 500, 502 and504.

At lower end of each of chutes 500, 502 and 504 there may be a gate suchas gates 506, 508 and 510, respectively. In one example gates 506, 508and 510 may have sensors associated therewith which allows for openingof each gate as items are dropped into chutes 500, 502 and 504, as aweight of an item is sensed on an upper surface of each gate, etc. Inanother example, gates 506, 508 and 510 may be gates (made of plastic,metal, etc.) that simply open when an item reaches an upper surfacethereof and allow for the item to drop into a corresponding one of ordertotes 105. In another example and for safety reasons, gates 506, 508 and510 may be controllable to be locked so that at designated times no itemmay be dropped therethrough into totes, on the floor, etc.

By employing non-limiting and example configuration of FIG. 5 and chutesdescribed with respect to FIG. 5 , horizontal movement of picker 200 islimited to example range Y-Y′ as opposed to Y-Z, if chutes are not used.

Having described various examples of warehouse 100 and transfer station102, the disclosure now turns to description of example methods ofoperating components of warehouse 100 including RC20s, order totes 105,shelf totes 112 and picker 200 by control system 108.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example method of order management within thewarehouse setting of claim 1, according to one aspect of the presentdisclosure. FIG. 6 will be described from the perspective of controlsystem 108. However, it will be understood that control system 108 hascomponents (as will be described below with reference to FIG. 7 ) suchas memories and processors that allow for execution of computer-readableinstructions to implement the functionalities described below withreference to FIG. 6 . Furthermore, FIG. 6 will be described withreference to FIGS. 1-5 .

At S600, control system 108 receives an order. An order may be placedonline via a website operated by a merchant associated with warehouse100, at a point of sale terminal at a physical location of a merchantassociated with warehouse 100, etc. The order may be received at one ormore servers of control system 108. The order may have one or moreassociated items. Examples of items include, but are not limited to,clothing articles, food, furniture, electronic equipment, appliances,etc.

At S602, control system 108 may identify one or more items that areassociated the order.

At S604, control system 108 may identify item shelves such as item shelf106 that have the one or more items stored thereon. The one or moreitems may be stored on different item shelves and/or different racksthereof. In one example, each item may have a barcode associatedtherewith that may be scanned upon placement thereof in a particularitem shelf and a particular rack thereof. Accordingly, control system108 may have a registered location associated with each item stored inshelves and racks. By referencing a table of records or a database ofitem locations, control system 108 can identify and locate each itemassociated with the order.

At S606, control system 108 may dispatch one or more carriers(autonomous vehicles or transporters) such as one or more of RC20s110-1, 110-2, 110-3 and 110-4 to item shelves on which the one or moreitems are stored. The dispatched carriers may be referred to as one ormore first carriers or first mobile carriers. In one example, a separatecarrier may be dispatched to a location of each of the items associatedwith the order, assuming the order includes more than one item. Inanother example, a single carrier can be dispatched to the location ofall the items to pick them up.

Within warehouse 100, routes to be traveled between various locationsmay be programmed and stored on each carrier and may be frequentlyupdated by control system 108. Accordingly, by sending the destinationinformation (e.g., item shelf identification or location withinwarehouse 100), control system 108 can command the one or more carriersto proceed to the location of interest to pick up items.

As noted above, items are stored on the item shelves in shelf totes suchas shelf totes 112. Each shelf tote may have stored therein one or moreof the same type of item. Therefore, upon arrival at an appropriate itemshelf such as item shelf 106, RC20 such as RC20 110-3 may either move upand down vertically to reach a rack on which a shelf tote carrying theitem of interest is stored to retrieve the corresponding shelf tote 112.In another example, there may be an automatic handler at item shelf 106,which upon arrival of RC20 110-3 may receive a command indicating therack on which the shelf tote carrying the item of interest is stored. Inresponse, the automatic handler may move vertically to obtain the shelftote and transport the same to RC20 110-3 and place it on top of RC20110-3. At this point RC20 110-3 is loaded.

Thereafter and upon receiving an indicated of loaded RC20 110-3, atS608, control system 108 may direct the loaded RC20 110-3 (or directmultiple loaded RC20s each carrying a shelf tote having a given one ofitems of interest therein) to proceed to transfer station 102.

At S610, control system 108 may direct a separate carrier such as RC20110-1 (which may be referred to as second carrier or second mobilecarrier) to proceed to tote rack 104 to remove an empty tote rack 105for receiving item(s) being carried by one or more first carriers (e.g.,RC20 110-3) at transfer station 102. In one example and depending on thenumber of items associated with an order, more than one order tote maybe necessary to collect all the items. Accordingly, control system 108may order two or more RC20s to simultaneously or consecutively (within aspecified period of time) to proceed to pick an empty order tote 105 andtravel to transfer station 102 to receive the items.

At S612, control system 108 directs the second carrier to transferstation 102.

At S614, control system 108 may determine a speed at which first carrier(e.g., RC20 110-3 carrying a shelf tote 112) and/or second carrier(e.g., RC20 110-1 carrying an order tote 105) enter and travel throughtransfer station 102. For example, control system 108 may determine thatRC20 110-3 is travelling at speed of 5 miles/hour upon entrance intotransfer station 102.

At S616, control system 108 may adjust movement of picker 200 (e.g.,horizontal and/or vertical speed of picker 200) to coordinate speed ofpicker 200 with speed of RC20 110-3 or speed of RC20 110-1 such thatsuction head 202 is able to pick an item from shelf tote 112 exactly ata time at which RC20 110-3 arrives and stops under (within reachablearea) of suction head 202 and/or is able to drop a picked item intoorder tote 105 exactly at a time at which RC20 110-1 arrives or stopsunder (within reachable area) of suction head 202. In other words,control system 108, at S616, may align picker 200 with RC20 110-3 and/orRC20 110-1.

At S618 and based on the adjusted movements, control system 108 maydirect picker 200 to pick an item from shelf tote 112 and/or to drop apicked item into order tote 105 in order to fulfill the order receivedat S600. In one example, suction head 202 may utilize any known or to bedeveloped visual image recognition method to pick an item of interestfrom a shelf tote. For example, picker 200 can have any known or to bedeveloped vision system, which can be utilized during vertical movementof picker 200 to adjust the position and/or movement of picker 200 forpicking an item from shelf tote 112 and/or placing an item inside ordertote 105. Such vision system may be mounted adjacent to or embedded withhead 202 of picker 200. Accordingly, picker 200 with a vision system maybe referred to as a smart picker.

In another example, picker 200, instead of or in addition to the abovevision system, may be equipped with multiple suction heads (grippers)202, which can move over a shelf tote 112 and attempt a pick of an item.For example, when there are multiple items in shelf tote 112, each oneof such multiple suction heads 202 may attempt to grab/pick one of themultiple items in shelf tote 112. Control system 108 may utilize anindependent vision system or the vision system mounted on picker 200 todetermine which of the multiple items picked by multiple suction heads202 may be retained, dropped back into shelf tote 112, etc. (e.g., basedon a number of order totes 105 for a particular item).

In one example, transfer station 102 may be equipped with multiplepickers 200, one or more of which may be pickers with multiple suctionheads, while one or more of pickers 200 may be equipped with a singlesuction head 202. Accordingly, control system 108 may control shelftotes 112 such that any shelf tote 112 with multiple items (or more thana threshold number of items such as 3 or 4 items) may be directed orpositioned under one of the multiple pickers 200 with multiple suctionheads 202 while shelf totes 112 with a single item (or less thanthreshold number of items such as 3 or 4 items). In other words, controlsystem 108 may determine which picker 200 an arriving shelf tote may bedirected toward for picking item(s) included therein, based on thenumber of items in each arriving shelf tote.

While at S614, S616 and S618, examples are described where speed atwhich shelf tote 112 and picker 200 move to enable picking of an item oritems from shelf tote 112, the present disclosure is not limited to thisconcept. In one example, control system 108 may detect presence of shelftote 112 inside transfer station 102, position shelf tote 112 to underpicker 200 followed by directing picker 200 to move vertically to pickthe item of interest. In another example, control system 108 may also,after positioning shelf tote 112 under picker 200, direct shelf tote 112to move back and forth (and/or left and right) in order to enable picker200 to pick the item(s) inside shelf tote 112, thus providing anadditional degree of freedom to picker 200 for picking the item(s).

In one example, inside transfer station 102, tracks/paths 204 and 206may be adjacent to each such that RC20 110-1 and RC20 110-3 carrying anorder tote and a shelf tote respectively, may arrive in reachable areaof suction head 202 in adjacent with one another and avoid anyaccidental drop of an item picked by suction 202 from shelf tote 112anywhere other than inside order tote 105.

While FIG. 6 describes an example method of picking a single item from ashelf tote 112 or dropping a single item into an order tote 105, thepresent disclosure is not limited to. Method of claim 6, can be easilyexpanded to accommodate any of the example scenarios with respect toFIGS. 2-5 . For example, speed of picker 200 may be adjusted toaccommodate picking up items from more than one shelf tote or droppingitems in more than one order tote.

Having described various example setups and methods of automated orderfulfillment with reference to FIGS. 1-6 , the disclosure now turns todescription of example components of control system 108 that enablemanagement and control of automated order fulfillment.

FIG. 7 illustrates example components of a controller managingoperations of the warehouse setting of FIG. 1 , according to one aspectof the present disclosure.

In this example, FIG. 7 illustrates a computing system 700 (system 700)including components in electrical communication with each other using aconnection 705, such as a bus. System 700 includes a processing unit(CPU or processor) 710 and a system connection 705 that couples varioussystem components including the system memory 715, such as read onlymemory (ROM) 720 and random access memory (RAM) 725, to the processor710. The system 700 can include a cache of high-speed memory connecteddirectly with, in close proximity to, or integrated as part of theprocessor 710. The system 700 can copy data from the memory 715 and/orthe storage device 730 to the cache 712 for quick access by theprocessor 710. In this way, the cache can provide a performance boostthat avoids processor 710 delays while waiting for data. These and othermodules can control or be configured to control the processor 710 toperform various actions. Other system memory 715 may be available foruse as well. The memory 715 can include multiple different types ofmemory with different performance characteristics. The processor 710 caninclude any general purpose processor and a hardware or softwareservice, such as service 1 732, service 2 734, and service 3 736 storedin storage device 730, configured to control the processor 710 as wellas a special-purpose processor where software instructions areincorporated into the actual processor design. The processor 710 may bea completely self-contained computing system, containing multiple coresor processors, a bus, memory controller, cache, etc. A multi-coreprocessor may be symmetric or asymmetric.

To enable user interaction with the device 700, an input device 745 canrepresent any number of input mechanisms, such as a microphone forspeech, a touch-sensitive screen for gesture or graphical input,keyboard, mouse, motion input, speech and so forth. An output device 735can also be one or more of a number of output mechanisms known to thoseof skill in the art. In some instances, multimodal systems can enable auser to provide multiple types of input to communicate with the device700. The communications interface 740 can generally govern and managethe user input and system output. There is no restriction on operatingon any particular hardware arrangement and therefore the basic featureshere may easily be substituted for improved hardware or firmwarearrangements as they are developed.

Storage device 730 is a non-volatile memory and can be a hard disk orother types of computer readable media which can store data that areaccessible by a computer, such as magnetic cassettes, flash memorycards, solid state memory devices, digital versatile disks, cartridges,random access memories (RAMs) 725, read only memory (ROM) 720, andhybrids thereof.

The storage device 730 can include services 732, 734, 736 forcontrolling the processor 710. Other hardware or software modules arecontemplated. The storage device 730 can be connected to the systemconnection 705. In one aspect, a hardware module that performs aparticular function can include the software component stored in acomputer-readable medium in connection with the necessary hardwarecomponents, such as the processor 710, connection 705, output device735, and so forth, to carry out the function.

In some embodiments the computer-readable storage devices, mediums, andmemories can include a cable or wireless signal containing a bit streamand the like. However, when mentioned, non-transitory computer-readablestorage media expressly exclude media such as energy, carrier signals,electromagnetic waves, and signals per se.

Methods according to the above-described examples can be implementedusing computer-executable instructions that are stored or otherwiseavailable from computer readable media. Such instructions can comprise,for example, instructions and data which cause or otherwise configure ageneral purpose computer, special purpose computer, or special purposeprocessing device to perform a certain function or group of functions.Portions of computer resources used can be accessible over a network.The computer executable instructions may be, for example, binaries,intermediate format instructions such as assembly language, firmware, orsource code. Examples of computer-readable media that may be used tostore instructions, information used, and/or information created duringmethods according to described examples include magnetic or opticaldisks, flash memory, USB devices provided with non-volatile memory,networked storage devices, and so on.

Devices implementing methods according to these disclosures can comprisehardware, firmware and/or software, and can take any of a variety ofform factors. Typical examples of such form factors include laptops,smart phones, small form factor personal computers, personal digitalassistants, rackmount devices, standalone devices, and so on.Functionality described herein also can be embodied in peripherals oradd-in cards. Such functionality can also be implemented on a circuitboard among different chips or different processes executing in a singledevice, by way of further example.

The instructions, media for conveying such instructions, computingresources for executing them, and other structures for supporting suchcomputing resources are means for providing the functions described inthese disclosures.

Although a variety of examples and other information was used to explainaspects within the scope of the appended claims, no limitation of theclaims should be implied based on particular features or arrangements insuch examples, as one of ordinary skill would be able to use theseexamples to derive a wide variety of implementations. Further andalthough some subject matter may have been described in languagespecific to examples of structural features and/or method steps, it isto be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claimsis not necessarily limited to these described features or acts. Forexample, such functionality can be distributed differently or performedin components other than those identified herein. Rather, the describedfeatures and steps are disclosed as examples of components of systemsand methods within the scope of the appended claims.

Claim language reciting “at least one of” refers to at least one of aset and indicates that one member of the set or multiple members of theset satisfy the claim. For example, claim language reciting “at leastone of A and B” means A, B, or A and B.

What is claimed is:
 1. A transfer station comprising: a picker componentoperating at least in two dimensions; a control system in communicationwith the picker component; and a communication component connected tothe control system, wherein the communication receives information abouta first robotic carrier dispatched to pick up a shelf tote and a secondrobotic carrier dispatched to pick up an order tote, the first roboticcarrier and the second robotic carrier travelling to the transferstation after picking up the shelf tote and the order tote, wherein thecontrol system causes the picker component to pick an item from theshelf tote while the shelf tote is moving through the transfer stationand transfer the item to the order tote.
 2. The transfer station ofclaim 1, wherein the control system further determines a speed of theshelf tote as it moves through the transfer station, coordinates avertical speed of the picker component based on the speed of the shelftote to yield a chosen picker vertical speed and causes the pickercomponent to pick the item from the shelf tote based on the chosenpicker vertical speed.
 3. The transfer station of claim 1, wherein thecontrol system further determines whether multiple picks from the shelftote by the picker component are required while the shelf tote is in thetransfer station to yield a determination and, when the determinationindicates that multiple picks are required, adjusts a speed of the shelftote to yield a slower shelf tote speed and while the shelf tote ismoving through the transfer station at the slower shelf tote speed,picks the item from the shelf tote.
 4. The transfer station of claim 1,wherein at least one of the shelf tote and the order tote does not stopas it moves through the transfer station.
 5. The transfer station ofclaim 1, wherein the transfer station comprises multiple pickercomponents.
 6. The transfer station of claim 5, wherein the controlsystem further determines a number of items in the shelf tote anddirects the shelf tote to one of the multiple picker components withmultiple suction heads or one of the multiple picker components with asingle suction head depending on the number of the items in the shelftote.
 7. The transfer station of claim 1, wherein the control systemfurther receives a visual configuration of the item in the shelf toteand picks the item from the shelf tote based at least in part on thevisual configuration of the item in the shelf tote.
 8. The transferstation of claim 1, wherein a speed of the shelf tote is one of astandardized speed of all shelf totes moving through the transferstation or an assigned speed of a respective shelf tote moving throughthe transfer station.
 9. The transfer station of claim 1, wherein aspeed of the shelf tote is assigned based on a configuration of one ormore items contained within the shelf tote.
 10. The transfer station ofclaim 1, wherein the control system further, before transferring, in thetransfer station, the item to the order tote by the picker component,transfers the item to a holding tray in the transfer station, whereintransferring the item to the order tote by the picker componentcomprises transferring the item from the holding tray to the order tote.11. The transfer station of claim 1, wherein the transfer stationcomprises a single lane for the shelf tote and multiple lanes inparallel for multiple order totes to each receive a respective item aspicked by the picker component from the shelf tote.
 12. The transferstation of claim 11, wherein the transfer station comprises multiplechutes which enable the picker component to retrieve the item from theshelf tote and to select one of the multiple chutes for delivery of theitem to a respective order tote associated with a respective chute ofthe multiple chutes.
 13. The transfer station of claim 12, wherein eachrespective chute of the multiple chutes comprises a gate such thatasynchronous picking and delivery of the item can occur between theshelf tote and a respective order tote.
 14. The transfer station ofclaim 1, wherein the picker component comprises only two degrees offreedom, the only two degrees of freedom comprising a vertical directionand a horizontal direction, wherein the picker component is used to pickthe item from the shelf tote and deliver the item to the order tote atthe transfer station.
 15. The transfer station of claim 1, wherein thecontrol system comprises a computer-readable storage device storinginstructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause theone or more processors to: dispatch the first robotic carrier to pick upthe shelf tote having the item therein; upon arrival of the firstrobotic carrier, facilitate picking of the item by the picker componentwhile the shelf tote is moving through the transfer station; andtransfer, by the picker component in the transfer station, the item tothe order tote.
 16. A method comprising: receiving, at a transferstation, an identification of a shelf tote having an item containedtherein for transfer to an order tote; identifying the shelf totearriving at the transfer station; identifying the order tote arriving atthe transfer station; causing a picker at the transfer station to pickthe item from the shelf tote while the shelf tote is moving through thetransfer station; and transferring, by the picker in the transferstation, the item to the order tote.
 17. The method of claim 16, whereincausing the picker to pick the item from the shelf tote comprises:determining a speed of the shelf tote as it moves through the transferstation; coordinating a vertical speed of the picker based on the speedof the shelf tote to yield a chosen picker vertical speed; and causingthe picker to pick the item from the shelf tote based on the chosenpicker vertical speed.
 18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:determining whether multiple picks from the shelf tote by the picker arerequired while the shelf tote is in the transfer station to yield adetermination; when the determination indicates that multiple picks arerequired, adjusting a speed of the shelf tote to yield a slower shelftote speed; and while the shelf tote is moving through the transferstation at the slower shelf tote speed, picking the item from the shelftote.
 19. The method of claim 16, wherein the picker moves with only twodegrees of freedom, the only two degrees of freedom comprising avertical direction and a horizontal direction.
 20. The method of claim16, further comprising: before transferring, in the transfer station,the item to the order tote by the picker, transfer the item to a holdingtray in the transfer station, wherein transferring the item to the ordertote by the picker comprises transferring the item from the holding trayto the order tote.